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Friday, August 28, 2009

friday five: must-haves for new moms

here's my list of 5 things EVERY new mom needs whether she's having her first or her fifth. the perfect shopping list for yourself, or pick up an item or two for the next shower you are attending...


1. the cuddly wrap: my all-time favorite newborn baby carrier. it may be overwhelming at first (it's one really long piece of fabric), but trust me! after you've practiced tying it on a few times, it will be easy. your baby will love being in it & you'll love that you will be able to get stuff down. unlike other carriers, the cuddly wrap keeps them all bundled up on your chest - i think it reminds them of being inside the womb. the material is like a t-shirt, so it's lightweight & very breathable. i can't tell you how often i am stopped by strangers to give my "cuddly wrap sales pitch." i can't say enough good things, i LOVE it soooo much!

2. ameda gel pads: if you're planning on nursing, then you must buy at least one pair of these. nursing, for me, has always been somewhat of a painful process... sore, cracked, bleeding nipples is pretty standard for me (& yes, i just said nipples). anyway, these gel pads are AMAZING! don't be fooled by other gel pads on the market. i've tried them all, & these ones are by far the best. another nursing favorite is the motherlove nipple cream (there i go saying the word nipple again).

3. oxi clean: stains no more! this is a serious must-have! with spit-up & diaper explosions happening on a fairly regular basis, you need something that you can count on to get those stains out. oxi clean hasn't let me down yet, & i've thrown some pretty hefty stains it's way.

4. aden + anais muslin baby blanket: i absolutely LOVE these blankets. they are lightweight & thin enough that i can stuff them in my purse or baby bag. but, don't let that fool you! they are HUGE in size (47" x 47"), which makes them perfect for swaddling. but that's not all, you can use these blankets as a sheet in a pack-n-play, on the ground for play time, as a nursing cover or draped over a stroller or car seat. there are so many possibilities!

5. benetint blush, dr. pepper lip smakers, and a cute hat or two: you know as well as i do, a new baby means late nights & lots of early mornings. often times, a shower is a luxury. however, i've always found that making a little effort makes me feel better. on days when i don't really have the time (or perhaps the energy) to get ready, i like to throw on some benetint (it provides you with natural, rosy looking cheeks which is an immediate perk-me-up), a little dr. pepper lip smakers (call me crazy, but the dr. pepper flavor has just the perfect hint of color & a nice smell to boot!) & a cute hat to hide that bed-head hair, & you are all set. no one will be the wiser that you haven't slept (or possibly showered) for days.

so now that i've shared, what are some of YOUR favorite must-haves for new moms?

16 comments:

Eric said...

I'm with you on the aden + anais wraps. We just started offering them on our site, and people seem to love them. They are such high quality blankets, and breathable. Perfect for summer.

stephanie said...

yes, the aden + anais blankets are the best. they are definitely my fave.

Lannae Johnson said...

I chuckled when I read your recommendation list. Can I just tell you how many tubes of Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers I have around?! My baby days are behind me, but I can't live without my Dr. Pepper! You have a beautiful family and a beautiful blog. So glad I found you.

Unknown said...

I'm expecting our second baby in December and was looking at the gel pads. They look great - but do you wash them or throw them out after use? The site says they can be used for up to six days...

I second the Oxi-Clean recommendation. I pulled baby clothes out of storage (they'd been washed before I put them away). Some had yellowed stains on them that came out after soaking Oxi-Clean for several hours. That stuff is awesome.

The one thing on your list that I love is my Boppy pillow!

Jessi said...

great list! ditto, ditto, ditto.

Kristin said...

thank you for this list!! my friend is having her second boy baby in November and i've been at a loss as to what to get her since she already has almost everything from baby #1.

Paxton said...

My favorite baby shower gift to give is the Red Cross Baby first aid kit. It has combs, thermometers, nail files, nail clippers, brush, mirror, nose sucker thingy, etc.. etc.. I also include some milicon and a natural tylenol type of medicine because the first time you need those you REALLY need them and you don't want to have to go to the store!
Other than that I'll have to try the aden + anais blankets, my sister made me a swaddling blanket that i ADORE and still use for everything even though my little girl is 18 months now!
But here's to trying all these things with #2 :-)
Thanks!

Kristen said...

Honestly, love the list. What I add to that is a really GREAT playlist, especially on those sluggish days that I have to wrangle the house and the kids. Nothing seems to move me along a little better the some great tunes!

Suzanne Broughton said...

Okay, I am like this HUGE Lip Smackers fan. I don't know if you knew that, but I'm a little compulsive about them.
My absolute favorite is Watermelon, but I have one of those giant Dr. Pepper ones (that make you look like a clown when you use it) and I love that too.
Suz

Alyson said...

I also have a cuddlywrap and have given the sales pitch many times (they really do gather attention). Another bonus is that you can wrap it on anyone (dad, grandma, etc) - one size fits all with no adjustments!

Brooke Woods said...

Thanks for the advice Kel Kel. I down to less than 3 months til this bambino arrives. I better get shopping.

sb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amy M. said...

We love those Aden and Anais muslin wraps! My baby is 15 months old and we are STILL finding uses for them!

-Amy
Crafting by Candlelight

Michelle said...

Love your list! Switch mine to a moby wrap, the lipsmackers to cotton candy (no blush needed with these irish/scottish genes), and throw in a Boppy and you've got yourself a deal. I always buy my friends the gel pads when they start nursing, they were sent from heaven!

KJ said...

cafe rio take-out

jen said...

thanks for the tips! i want to try out the gel pads...i need some relief!